Disco Misbehaving.

Got a Disco 1, v8, 110k miles, and which I assume has a cracked head.

Runs fine, slightly rougher idle, and persistent water vapor in exhaust.

No check engine lights. Is there any luck it is just the head gasket and I won't have to have heads machined/replaced? I can't check and see if it is losing coolant through the engine as I've been chasing coolant leaks the past couple weeks.


Issue number two, fuel system.

The truck is running way to rich, when you rev the engine it blows black smoke and pops when you let off. Plugs have been recently changed, they should all be firing, and the problem was there before hand. As I said before, no check engine lights. Any ideas as to what may be causing this?
No oily plugs when I changed them either.


...and on to the lesser issues I might as well add on to the thread.

Rust: Out of all the rust on the truck the only that I worry about being able to fix is on the firewall where the hood mounts. Is there any half way straight forward way to fix this?

As I'm typing this I got a cheap truck bought for the mean time, so I have the luxury of being able to tear it down, if the thing is even worth it. I'm beginning to tired of this old truck, the love I had for it is fading a little after two years together.

Oh Deer said:

No check engine lights. Is there any luck it is just the head gasket and I won't have to have heads machined/replaced? I can't check and see if it is losing coolant through the engine as I've been chasing coolant leaks the past couple weeks.


Issue number two, fuel system.

The truck is running way to rich, when you rev the engine it blows black smoke and pops when you let off. Plugs have been recently changed, they should all be firing, and the problem was there before hand. As I said before, no check engine lights. Any ideas as to what may be causing this?
.

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Sometimes wonder with things like this if your check engine light is working! I guess you would see it when you start up

Richbee said:

Sometimes wonder with things like this if your check engine light is working! I guess you would see it when you start up

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I agree...

It illuminates when you turn the key on like it should.

regarding the consistant water vapour in the exhaust i have the same problem but the truck runs sweet as a nut and im not loosing any coolent. had it out for a whole day and still seem to have water in the exhaust has anybody else had this problem mine is also a 3.9 v8 petrol.

Hi,
Don't be mislead by apparent water vapour in exhaust, it depends on atmospheric conditions, if there is much or not. Running really rich will give water vapour in exhaust under certain conditions. Suggest you do a pressure test of cooling system. Here is how I made my own tester ...
Get a 1/4 inch piece of rubber pipe about 6 inches, a plastic or brass Tee-piece, an old car tubeless tyre valve. Cut the rubber pipe into two and push a piece on one opposing end of the Tee-piece, and the center branch, secure with tie wraps or jubilee clips. Take the tyre valve cut off the thick piece where it goes into the wheel and push the remainder into the center tube, secure with a tie wrap or jubilee clip. Now take off your small expansion bottle tube from top of engine or bottle and push the Tee-piece rubber onto the pipe and the removed pipe onto the other end of the Tee-piece. Take a tyre compressor inflator with gauge, or foot pump/hand pump with gauge, now pump until you have about slightly less than 15 psi. Stop and look and listen for leaks, leave it for a while and check the pressure remains constant. I have twice found on my 300 TDI that the expansion cap is leaking at about 5 psi, both times after loosing coolant and an overheat. Its a cheap simple pressure tester and it works well! Do not go much over 15psi as you may damage something. The system pressure relief in a radiator/expansion cap is up to about 14 or so psi, equivalent to approx 1 bar.